On July 17 this year, the Environment Institute and Adelaide Law School had the pleasure of hosting Mr John Scanlon AO for a public lecture on ‘Environmental, Nature and Wildlife Crimes and the Role of International Law’, the first in our Hope and Wonder Series.

John is the Chief Executive Officer, The Elephant Protection Initiative Foundation (EPI), Chair, UK Government Illegal Wildlife Challenge Fund and Trustee, Royal Botanical Gardens Kew.

As an alumni of the Adelaide Law School, John has a deep interest in the law, especially regarding wildlife trafficking – and environmental crimes more generally, and taking a one health approach to wildlife trade, markets and consumption. Much of this work is being advanced via the Global Initiative to End Wildlife Crime, of which John is Chair.

John speaks on wildlife trafficking and its severe consequences, for our biodiversity, climate, and ecosystems, as well as for livelihoods, security, human and animal health. The cost of these serious crimes is valued at $1-2 trillion annually, based on ecosystem impacts, including their ability to sequester carbon. Yet we have no global agreement to prevent or combat these highly destructive crimes. What is happening at the global level to fill this gap and what role is Australia playing?

The lecture was followed by an interactive Q&A session featuring the Environment Institute’s Interim Director, Professor Andrew Lowe, Dr Adam Toomes from the School of Biological Sciences, and Dr Phillipa McCormack, Vice President of the National Environmental Law Association (NELA) and Co-Director, ENREL.

In case you missed it, a recording of the entire event is available on our You Tube page.